Based on an analysis of the learners, the wants, and the necessities, we conducted a preliminary profile of the students (see attached file below) and then using Survey Monkey, we created a needs analysis questionnaire for information from the teachers who would be our students in the teacher training program:
A brief description of the target student population and teaching context
This is a teacher training program for non-native speakers of English who teach English in primary, middle and secondary public schools in rural China. The students range in age from 25 to 35. They are mostly from rural areas themselves and they all teach in a rural area -- either in the smaller central town of the region or a small village. The language proficiency ranges from very low beginner to highly fluent. The more highly proficient teachers tend to be placed in secondary and middle school. Everyone reads a common language Mandarin but some speak a dialect of Chinese and others speak ethnic languages, e.g. Miao, depending on the region/province of China.They have varied educational backgrounds and various levels of professional training. Some have a degree from a Teachers College in China, such as Tai Yuan Normal College. On the other hand, some have little formal training in EFL. Some may have a degree in another field, such as math or science, and are trained by other teachers. Some teachers in very rural areas may not have a college degree at all and are drafted to teach English with little or no training. Even for the teachers who attended a teachers college, particularly in the rural areas, their pedagogical training likely focused on a traditional grammar translation approach to language learning. However, teachers attending urban universities such as Beijing Normal or those having been trained in private proprietary language schools get training in the communicative approach. Whether they have training in the communicative approach or not they tend to 'teach to the book' because they may be required to finish the book or feel themselves that the students have to finish. Classes are sometimes 50-90 students so there are additional deterrents to using a communicative approach in class. Teachers in rural areas often have limited access to technology. They may have a tape recorder or an overhead or even a computer but they often do not have internet in the classroom. They often do not have an LCD projector. They also have limited copying resources as well as limited materials for creating pictures or visual aids. This program provides professional development during what is the summer break for the teachers so it represents a sacrifice of vacation, time with family and a financial commitment on their part.
Pedagogical Rationale The Summer Rural English Teachers’ Program hopes to make a contribution to the effectiveness of English teaching in China through an intensive teacher training program that is committed to providing the opportunity for professional development to in-service rural teachers who have limited access to pedagogical and linguistic resources.
Goals The overarching goal of the program is to provide professional development for rural English teachers in China. Teachers will learn about strategies for teaching English as a Foreign Language using a communicative approach, improve their language proficiency, be exposed to the target language culture, and explore potential resources for authentic materials to support teaching and learning. Objectives Participants will be able to....
Demonstrate communicative teaching techniques and strategies
Develop activities to supplement the textbooks used in school.
Enjoy English language learning through communicative-based activities.
Further develop their own English language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Develop model lessons and present them to the other trainees as public lessons according to the initiative of the Foreign Language Department of the Ministry of Education.
d) The duration of the course, and an outline of the units (including the themes for each unit, the length of each unit, and grammar points covered in each unit)
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Week/duration
Topic
Themes
Functions
Grammar points
Orientation: week 1-2 days
Getting Acquainted
Describing oneself & others
Talk about myself, my work, my country, nationality, hometown, culture
A needs analysis
Based on an analysis of the learners, the wants, and the necessities, we conducted a preliminary profile of the students (see attached file below) and then using Survey Monkey, we created a needs analysis questionnaire for information from the teachers who would be our students in the teacher training program:TeachinChinaNeedsAnalysis
A brief description of the target student population and teaching context
This is a teacher training program for non-native speakers of English who teach English in primary, middle and secondary public schools in rural China. The students range in age from 25 to 35. They are mostly from rural areas themselves and they all teach in a rural area -- either in the smaller central town of the region or a small village. The language proficiency ranges from very low beginner to highly fluent. The more highly proficient teachers tend to be placed in secondary and middle school. Everyone reads a common language Mandarin but some speak a dialect of Chinese and others speak ethnic languages, e.g. Miao, depending on the region/province of China.They have varied educational backgrounds and various levels of professional training. Some have a degree from a Teachers College in China, such as Tai Yuan Normal College. On the other hand, some have little formal training in EFL. Some may have a degree in another field, such as math or science, and are trained by other teachers. Some teachers in very rural areas may not have a college degree at all and are drafted to teach English with little or no training. Even for the teachers who attended a teachers college, particularly in the rural areas, their pedagogical training likely focused on a traditional grammar translation approach to language learning. However, teachers attending urban universities such as Beijing Normal or those having been trained in private proprietary language schools get training in the communicative approach. Whether they have training in the communicative approach or not they tend to 'teach to the book' because they may be required to finish the book or feel themselves that the students have to finish. Classes are sometimes 50-90 students so there are additional deterrents to using a communicative approach in class. Teachers in rural areas often have limited access to technology. They may have a tape recorder or an overhead or even a computer but they often do not have internet in the classroom. They often do not have an LCD projector. They also have limited copying resources as well as limited materials for creating pictures or visual aids. This program provides professional development during what is the summer break for the teachers so it represents a sacrifice of vacation, time with family and a financial commitment on their part.
Pedagogical Rationale The Summer Rural English Teachers’ Program hopes to make a contribution to the effectiveness of English teaching in China through an intensive teacher training program that is committed to providing the opportunity for professional development to in-service rural teachers who have limited access to pedagogical and linguistic resources.
Goals The overarching goal of the program is to provide professional development for rural English teachers in China. Teachers will learn about strategies for teaching English as a Foreign Language using a communicative approach, improve their language proficiency, be exposed to the target language culture, and explore potential resources for authentic materials to support teaching and learning. Objectives Participants will be able to....
- Demonstrate communicative teaching techniques and strategies
- Develop activities to supplement the textbooks used in school.
- Enjoy English language learning through communicative-based activities.
- Further develop their own English language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- Develop model lessons and present them to the other trainees as public lessons according to the initiative of the Foreign Language Department of the Ministry of Education.
d) The duration of the course, and an outline of the units (including the themes for each unit, the length of each unit, and grammar points covered in each unit)·
·
·
structure: I will be able to..
I would like to....
I hope to....
- countries
- sites
- locations
- There is... There are...
*I will....
I could....
Authentic/non-textbook materials used for the unit (including technology)
- National textbooks
- Online resources: worksheets and model lesson plans & visuals
- Technology
- Evaluation forms -- surveys and needs analysis
Assignments for the course and your evaluation criteria for the courseSurvey: survey monkey